Becky stumbled slightly as she hurried down the stone steps to her mistress's room, hidden behind a tapestry in one of the walls of the palace. She was out of breath and had a stitch in her side but she carried on running, knowing the Grand Vizier would want to hear her news.
"Miss Sylvester!" She gasped, skidding into the room where Sue was sitting, her hands clasped under her chin and apparently deep in thought.
"Now Becky, what have I told you about knocking before you enter a room. I may have been in the middle of some intense plotting and now…" Sue looked up, "You just interrupted that! This better be good."
"Sorry to interrupt, your evilness, but the guards just brought back the boy! The diamond in the rough!"
Sue stood up so quickly that Becky stumbled backwards, tripping over some loose stone on the floor.
"But this is wonderful!" The tall blonde woman exclaimed, "Why didn't you come and tell me sooner, Becky?" She didn't wait for an answer but instead swept past the shivering servant, ignoring her completely, "Soon…I will be in possession of the lamp and the kingdom of Lima will be mine forever!"
She leant down and picked Becky up by the scruff of her neck, "Come, Becky! We have plans to make…"
Sue Sylvester made sure she looked all around her before emerging from the concealed entrance to her office. Becky was about to step through the door behind her when the huge palace doors slammed open, making them both jump and making Sue close the door hurriedly, trapping her servant's foot in the process.
Sue!" Prince Kurt looked furious as he approached the Grand Vizier.
"Oh…your royal highness…" Sue turned to face the young prince, concealing Becky from view, "Whatever is the matter?"
"The guards just took a boy from the city centre…on your orders," Kurt raised an eyebrow and surveyed Sue calmly, "I wanted to know exactly what his crime was."
Sue folded her arms and looked down at the Prince, "Your kidnap, of course."
"My kidnap?" Kurt repeated, anger creeping into his voice again, "He didn't kidnap me! I ran away!"
Sue carefully rearranged her face into a mortified expression, "Oh…oh no!"
"What?" Kurt grabbed her arms, "What's happened to him? Where is he?"
"Well…I'm afraid…I'm afraid he was punished according to his crime. And, well, that means…death…by beheading."
Kurt gasped and released the tall blonde woman from his grip, backing away slowly, "You can't mean that!"
"A thousand apologies, your highness. Had I known, I would have put a stop to it immediately!"
Kurt kept shaking his head, his chest heaving and tears threatening to spill over. He gave Sue one last horrified look before running away.
Becky managed to squeeze out of the doorway and ran to Sue's side immediately, "I think that went well, your wickedness."
"Now that brat can't interfere with our plans," Sue looked down and grabbed Becky again, "Now we have a prisoner to visit…"
"The prince…" Blaine shook his head, "How could I have been so stupid?"
For the twentieth time since he'd been strapped to the dungeon wall, he pulled uselessly at the manacles that were holding him there. The skin on his wrists was raw and bloody from the effort but he kept trying. Eventually, he stopped and let himself hang there, feeling as though he almost deserved the punishment for being so stupid.
It was in that position that he stayed for a long time, until he heard a quiet 'psst' from somewhere above his head. Looking up, he saw a familiar blonde head bobbing around through the bars at the top of the well-like structure he'd been imprisoned in.
"Jeff?" He whispered softly, "I'm down here!"
Even in the gloom he saw Jeff roll his eyes, "Yes I know that, Blaine. That is why I am here." The blonde boy shook his head, "Just hang on a sec, okay? No pun intended."
Blaine smirked as he watched Jeff pick the lock of the metal bars at the top of his prison. A small click told him his friend had been successful and a second later Jeff had landed nimbly on the floor in front of Blaine, a huge grin on his face.
"Show off…" Blaine muttered as Jeff leapt up the wall and starting picking the manacles that were holding him to the wall, "Seriously dude, sometimes I think you're more monkey than man."
Jeff managed to unpick the lock and Blaine slid down the wall, landing lightly on his feet before straightening up, rubbing his wrists, "I'm really sorry, man. I didn't know he was…well…" He looked down, "Don't worry about it anyway."
Jeff looked at him questioningly, "What do you mean?"
"Well…I mean, I'm a street rat and he's…a prince. And there's that law, right? He has to marry a princess and he probably isn't even…" Blaine buried his face in his hands, "He deserves a princess and I'm…I'm an idiot."
"You're only an idiot if you give up boy…" A sinister voice said from the shadows, making both jump.
"Excuse me?" Blaine squinted into the gloom, trying to figure out who was there. He jumped back when an old, decrepit woman hobbled out the shadows. She had wild grey hair and seemed to be missing most of her teeth, leaving blackened gums in their place. Blaine and Jeff both shrank against the wall impulsively, transfixed by the hag.
"You want to be more than just a street rat, boy?"
"Well…yeah, of course, but that's not going to happen any time soon."
"Ah, I wouldn't be so sure," The woman said, hobbling closer to the pair, "What if I said I could make you rich? Richer than the sultan even?"
"I'm listening…" Blaine leant closer to the woman, ignoring Jeff's tightening grip on his arm.
"There is a cave, boy, not too far from here. The Cave of Wonders. It holds more treasure than you could spend in a lifetime. Enough to get you anything you desired. Enough so that you could pass for…say…a prince?" From within her cloak she pulled out a fistful of coins. The boys exchanged a glance then looked back at the woman.
"What's the catch?" Jeff asked, his eyebrows raised.
The woman ignored the blonde boy, speaking to Blaine, "I need a young pair of legs and a strong back to go into the Cave of Wonders. I am, after all, just a poor old woman."
"There's just one problem.." Blaine said, "The cave is outside, right? And we're kind of stuck in here."
The woman shook her head and laughed, making the hair on the back of Jeff's neck stand on end, "Things aren't always what they seem…" She chuckled again and pushed on a section of the wall, revealing an underground passage behind it.
"Are you in or are you out?" She asked, eyebrows raised.
Blaine and Jeff exchanged a look before both nodding, "We're in."
"It's all my fault, Mercedes," Kurt sobbed, "He got killed because of me!"
Mercedes patted his shoulder, unable to think of any words of comfort other than, "I knew Miss Sylvester was an old hag, but I didn't think she'd actually…kill someone."
Kurt shook his head, trying to wipe his eyes on his sleeve, "I didn't even know his name…" He broke out into a fresh load of sobs and buried himself in Mercedes' shoulder. She gently rocked him back and forth, her gaze upwards, sending a silent prayer to the stars.
"Are you sure about this?" Jeff whispered, holding his arm up to protect him from the brutal winds of the Ohio desert. Everything around them was pitch black and they could only just hear the woman's directions against the roar of the storm.
Blaine shook his head, "It's better out here than stuck in prison though…right?"
Jeff didn't look convinced and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a screech from behind them.
"Stop! We're here! Now, help me down at once!"
Jeff kept a firm grip of the reins while Blaine stepped backwards and helped the old crone off the camel. He was half afraid she'd get blown away in the fierce wind but she seemed stronger than she looked as she practically pushed him away as she reached into her cloak, pulling out two golden objects.
Blaine was half blinded by the wind and did not see what happened next. He thought he saw the two gold things fly away towards a great mound of sand. Then, he heard Jeff's gasp of surprise from in front of him and turned to see a huge tiger's head, made completely out of sand that had just materialised out of nowhere. It had severe, glowing eyes that seemed to be looking directly at him.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" The woman shouted, pushing him forward, "Remember, touch nothing but the lamp!"
Blaine found Jeff's wrist and pulled him with him towards the huge tiger. He could feel the boy trembling…or was that him?
"Who dares disturb my slumber?" The enormous head growled.
"Uh…it is I, Blaine and uh…this is…this is Jeff!" The curly haired boy shouted, squeezing Jeff's wrist tighter.
The glowing eyes surveyed him and Jeff closely before the tiger spoke again, "Proceed. Touch nothing but the lamp."
"Remember! Bring me the lamp and I will give you jewels and gold beyond your wildest dreams! But only if you fetch the lamp first…" The woman threatened.
Blaine gulped and dragged Jeff forward, scared that he would lose his courage if he didn't act fast, "C'mon…"
They both descended the steps cautiously, looking all around them. Soon, the woman and the outside world were lost completely and the pair relaxed, able to properly take in their surroundings.
"This is incredible!" Jeff exclaimed, running forward, hands outstretched towards a gleaming pile of gold coins.
"Dude!" Blaine hissed, making him stop in his tracks, "We're not supposed to touch anything but the lamp…remember?"
Jeff pouted, "Fine…but where is this lamp anyway?"
Blaine opened his mouth but then stopped, frowning, "….that's a good question."
Jeff took a few step forwards and gave a yell, jumping about a foot in the air.
"What? What is it?" Blaine asked, hurrying forward.
"Sorry man, I just felt something furry…it's just a rug, it's fine. I'm fine," Jeff nodded, "Man, this place is freaking me out."
"Okay, let's just find this lamp and get out of here," Blaine suggested, marching forward. Jeff followed but couldn't help glancing behind him every few moments, unable to shake the feeling that something was following him. It was only when he looked around for the tenth time when he realised exactly what was following them.
"Blaine…" He whispered, "I don't mean to alarm you, but I think we're being pursued by a magic flying carpet."
Blaine laughed, "Jeff…don't be ridiculous. There's no such thing as magic flying carpets."
"Blaine…I'm serious!" He glanced behind him again and saw the carpet wave one of its tassels at him, "There is a carpet following us!"
The smaller boy turned around and looked around Jeff, "Dude, that's just a rug. It's not magic or flying."
"But…"
"No, come on dude, stop messing about. We've got to find this lamp and get it back to- HOLY SHIT IT'S A FLYING MAGICAL CARPET!" He gaped at the purple and red rug, which was now zooming around their heads.
"I told you!" Jeff shouted, also gazing at the carpet, "I wonder if it knows where the lamp is…"
As if it understood him, the carpet suddenly stopped in mid air and beckoned them with one of its tassels.
"I suppose…we should follow it?" Blaine asked hesitantly. Jeff shrugged and nodded and they both ran after the carpet, trying to ignore the huge mounds of gold and silver surrounding them.
A short time later, they found themselves at the bottom of a massive staircase, so tall they couldn't see the top of it. Both boys exchanged a glance and Blaine nodded.
"I'll just…wait here then…" Jeff said, nodding to the carpet, which didn't seem to want to go any further.
Blaine took a deep breath and started to climb the steep stairs. He looked back and Jeff and the carpet were lost. He turned back around and saw something gold gleaming ahead of him. As he got closer, he saw that it was the lamp, standing on a plinth at the top of the stairs, a single beam of light falling on it from the high ceiling. He walked towards it carefully, one arm outstretched…
At the bottom of the stairs, Jeff was bored. There wasn't much conversation to be had with a carpet, even if it's magical and can fly. Also, those piles of gold and silver looked very tempting.
He glanced upwards to make sure Blaine was still out of sight and started walking towards one of the piles. He was just looking, that was all. Surely, no-one would notice if he just grabbed a handful. That would keep him and Blaine fed for months. He stretched out his hand towards the nearest pile…
Blaine tucked the lamp carefully in his pocket and hurried downstairs, anxious to get out of the cave now that he'd completed his task. There was something about the place that made him really…nervous. He caught sight of a blonde head below him and grinned. His grin slowly turned into a frown as he realised what his friend was doing.
"JEFF! NO!"
But it was too late. Jeff had grabbed a handful of the coins before he'd heard Blaine's shout and now, as he turned around and saw his friend's horrified face, he threw them back on the pile. But now the walls were crumbling and Blaine was hurtling towards the stone floor. The steps had disappeared beneath him.
"Carpet! Catch him! CATCH BLAINE!" Jeff screamed as he watched Blaine fall towards the floor. The carpet swooped just in time and caught Blaine before he landed. Jeff felt relief flood through his brain as he saw that the smaller boy was fine. However, this relief soon faded as a look of panic overtook Blaine's face.
"Jeff, just stay there okay?" He urged the magic carpet forward and Jeff looked down, realising he was stood on a rock in the middle of a lake of molten lava. The rocks on either side of him were exploding, growing closer and closer…and the carpet looked like a tiny speck in the distance.
"Okay, now would be a great time to save me!" He shouted as the dot grew larger and larger. A rock exploded only a foot away from him and he held up his arm to avoid being hit, wincing as the splash burnt him.
He could see Blaine's determined expression now and held up his uninjured hand, now panicking slightly as he noted that his rock would be the next to go.
"Blaine!" He shouted as the rock beneath him trembled violently, threatening to throw him off into the lava surrounding him, "BLAINE!"
Suddenly, he felt a hand clasped in his and he was being pulled to the safety of the carpet, just as the ground exploded beneath his feet. Rocks were falling all around them and more than once, the carpet had to do a series of loop the loops and sideways flying to avoid them.
"I can see the entrance!" Blaine yelled, "Straight ahead!"
The carpet surged forward with the boys hanging on for dear life. The outline of the old hag grew more and more distinct until at last they were almost there.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge rock fell from the ceiling onto the back of the carpet, sending Blaine and Jeff flying forward onto a rocky ledge below the entrance and the carpet trapped at the bottom of the cave beneath them.
"Help us up!" Blaine grunted, his hand outstretched towards the hag.
"First, give me the lamp!" The woman screeched, stretching her hand towards Blaine.
Blaine felt around in his pocket until his fingertips touched metal and handed it to the woman. She took it from him as if it was made of the most precious crystal and her face turned into an ecstatic mask, far more terrifying than it had been seconds ago.
"At last!" She cried, "At last it's mine!"
"Now help us up!" Blaine yelled, panic in his voice.
The woman stooped down towards him, just as Jeff scrambled up next to Blaine, his fingers already bleeding from the effort.
"You want help?" She smirked as both boys nodded frantically then stood up, "Sue Sylvester helps no-one but herself." And with that, she gave them both an almighty shove than sent them flying backwards towards the cave floor.
"I'll see you around boys," She smiled to herself as she watched the two bodies get closer and closer to the cave floor, "…Or not."